New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Applause Rose’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Applause Rose’, characterized by its large, red purple-colored flowers; freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage; mounded and compact plant habit; glossy dark green leaves; and tolerance to full sun conditions and low night temperatures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Applause Rose.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program Inventor inLompoc, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to develop newImpatiens cultivars with compact plant habit and interesting flower andfoliage colors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of aproprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designated as codenumer 95-1107-4, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with aproprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designated as codenumber 93-694-3, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. Theculitvar Applause Rose was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in controlledenvironment in Lompoc, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atLompoc, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiensare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. Plantsof the new Impatiens differ from plants of the parent selectionsprimarily in flower and leaf color.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Applause Rose’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Applause Rose’ as a new and distinctImpatiens cultivar:

1. Large, red purple-colored flowers.

2. Freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond thefoliage.

3. Mounded and compact plant habit.

4. Glossy dark green leaves.

5. Tolerant to full sun conditons and low night temperatures.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivarKiped, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,475. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of thenew Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Kiped, in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens have longer and broader leaves thanplants of the culivar Kiped.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely flowering than plants ofthe cultivar Kiped.

3. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger and flatter flowers thanplants of the cultivar Kiped.

4. Flower color of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Kiped differslightly, 58B and 54A, respectively.

5. Peduncles of the new Impatiens are lighter in color than peduncles ofthe cultivar Kiped.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a top perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Applause Rose’ grown during the spring inLompoc, Calif., in a 15-cm container for about 18 weeks after planting arooted cutting.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Applause Rose has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity,daylength, water status and/or fertility level, without, however, anyvariance in genotype. The following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Lompoc, Calif., during the spring, undercommercial practice in a fiberglass-covered greenhouse. Plants used inthe following description were grown in 15-cm containers for about 18weeks after planting rooted cuttings. During the production period,night temperatures were maintained at 16° C. and light levels rangedfrom 3,000 to 4,000 foot-candles.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Applause Rose.

Commercial classification: New Guinea Impatiens cultivar Applause Rose.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selectiondesignated as code number 95-1107-4, not patented.

Male parent.—Proprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designatedas code number 93-694-3, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 8 to 10 days at 23° C. Winter:About 10 to 12 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fibrous, and freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Mounded and compact plant habit.

Growth and branching habit.—Freely branching; pinching, that is, removalof the terminal apices, is typically not required. Vigorous growthhabit.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Whorled. Length: About 7 to 8 cm.Width: About 3 to 3.5 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base:Acute. Margin: Serrulate with ciliation. Texture: Glabrous. Color: Youngfoliage, upper surface: 146A. Young foliage, lower surface: 147B. Fullyexpanded foliage, upper surface: 147A, glossy; venation, red purplecast. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147C.

Flower description:

Flower type and flowering habit.—Single red purple flowers. Freelyflowering, usually about one to two flowers per leaf axil. Flowerspositioned above and beyond the foliage and typically face upward oroutward. Flowers cupped when opening then mostly flat when opened.Flowers round in shape. Flowers last about two weeks on the plantdepending on environmental conditions. Petals self-cleaning; gynoeciumpersistent. Flowers not fragrant. Flowering indeterminate andcontinuous.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden,flowering from spring until fall.

Flower diameter.—About 6.5 to 7 cm.

Flower buds.—Rate of opening: From flower bud to fully open flower,typically about 5 to 7 days depending on temperature. Shape:Ellipsoidal.

Petals.—Quantity: Single, five per flower, imbricate. Length: Bannerpetal: About 3 cm. Lateral petals: About 3.5 cm. Basal or keel petals:About 3.5 cm. Width: Banner petal: About 4.5 cm. Lateral petals: About3.75 cm. Basal or keel petals: About 4 cm. Shape: Roughly cordate. Apex:Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth; velvety.Color: Upper surface: 58B; color does not fade with subsequentdevelopment. Lower surface: 58C.

Spur.—Length: About 4.5 cm. Color: 185A.

Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect:Mostly upright. Color: 185A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused at anthers,filaments free, hooded. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther color: Close to58C. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 158D. Gynoecium: Pistilnumber: One, five-segmented. Stigma color: Close to 155D. Style color:Close to 155D. Ovary length: About 6 mm. Ovary color: Close to 146B.

Seed development.—Seed development has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observedto be resistant to pathogens common to Impatiens.

Temperature and light tolerance: In Connellsville, Pa., plants of thenew Impatiens have been observed to be tolerant to full sun conditionsduring the summer and to continue to flower. In Lompoc, Calif., plantsof the new Impatiens have been observed to be tolerant to low nighttemperatures about 5 to 10° C. and to continue to flower.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named ‘Applause Rose’, as illustrated and described.